


Fold Once and Once Again

by osmalic



Category: Yu Yu Hakusho
Genre: Gen, pre-Spirit Detective Saga
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-09-07
Updated: 2006-09-07
Packaged: 2017-10-21 04:50:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/221108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/osmalic/pseuds/osmalic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>To scale all love down / To a cupped hand’s size</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fold Once and Once Again

"Oh, Minamino-kun," a voice said from somewhere above him, "thank you for your help earlier."

Shuichi Minamino opened his eyes and smiled at the girl looking down at him. "It was no problem, Kitajima-san." He was nestled comfortably under the tree in the lawn behind their school, and didn't have to squint as he looked up.

"You really helped us out for this," Maya Kitajima went on enthusiastically. Shuichi watched with amusement as she rummaged her bag, remembering a time when the girl could barely speak to him. And, with a pang, he remembered the time when he had forced her to forget. "Ah, here. We only used half a box of your paperclips."

 _"Only_ half a box?" he could not resist teasing, reaching out to take the small carton from her outstretched hands.

Kitajima shrugged but her eyes shone. "The Student Council really appreciate it—we didn't know how to file those applications for the festival. We managed it though, and it's going to be great!"

"I'm sure it will," Shuichi assured her.

Was it his imagination, or was there true disappointment in Kitajima-san's eyes? "Oh, you're not going?"

Shuichi bit his lip. "Oh, well...my mother is..."

"I heard," Kitajima broke in, and in a hushed tone, went on, "I hope she gets better."

"I hope so too."

There was a pause, as if Kitajima was going to say more, but she only smiled. "Thanks again, Minamino-kun. You're a real help. Oh, I'll have the Student Council reimburse you, of course."

"No need." Shuichi waved his hand as the girl bowed. "Thank you."

"Thanks!" Kitajima waved and took off.

Again, Shuichi leaned on the tree and closed his eyes, resuming his previous position. His body had begun to tense once more—a pity, since he had been trying hard to relax since earlier.

Far above him, hidden by the thick leaves and branches, a voice said, "Do you regret it?"

"You'll have to be more specific, Hiei," Kurama murmured, eyebrows drawing together.

There was a long silence. Hiei had never been good with words. "Do you regret making her lose her feelings for you?"

Kurama had understood, of course, but sometimes he wanted Hiei to say things completely, to make him understand so the words between them would not be lost. The box of paperclips in his hands felt heavy and wrong. "It's not even a question of regret," he responded, a little sadly, "because nothing would have come out of it."

"Wouldn't there be?" was the muttered reply.

Kurama opened his eyes and looked up to the shadows of the tree. "Are you having second thoughts about tonight?" he could not help asking.

"Are you?"

Looking away, Kurama stared down at the box of paperclips in his hand. He shook his head. "It's time. We should go meet Gouki." The words barely left his lips when he faintly felt the _reiki_ of his companion disappearing, going ahead.

Later, Kurama barely paused when he threw the box of paperclips into the trash.

**Author's Note:**

> Title and summary refer to the poem ["Bonsai"](http://www.geocities.com/icasocot/tiempo_poems.html) by Edith Tiempo.


End file.
